The Great Hunt/Chapter 29
In a village there are many prisoners and also many that have been hanged including children. Bornhald questions one of the children and it becomes clear that the villagers were hung by disguised questioners. The Lord Captain does not like that the Children's Questioners have been so violent, and says to tell the remaining villagers this will not happen again, and goes into the inn. Bornhald is seeking information on the invaders from Toman Head, but what he hears is not credible. Jaichim Carridin has left a message for Bornhald: "you are moving too fast, and are to turn back". They are to take only the darkfriends, according to Byar. Bornhald decides they are going to Toman Head to get the darkfriend invaders, no matter the orders. Bayle Doman sees evidence that Seanchan have invaded some of the towns he went past. Falme was the only town they did not simply leave once its people had been made to swear fealty. Domon had no desire to meet any of them. Spray is being chased by a vessel, and Domon attempts to get too close to shore for the larger ship to pursue him. Sudden explosions in the water force him to reconsider, and he surrenders. The leader of the boarding crew wears a helmet that looks like an insect, but when he takes the helmet off, Domon is surprised to see a woman. She asks if there are women among his crew or passengers. No, he says, wondering what they want with them. Two women board. One of them has a collar, the other has a bracelet with a chain connecting the two. The captain says her name is Egeanin. She wants Domon to swear fealty again. He thinks the one on the collar end of the leash is Aes Sedai and says so. Egeanin slaps him saying, "We do not use that name, there are only the Leashed Ones." He says he does not mean disrespect and hears her call them damane. Egeanin says she will claim these lands again, and then he will know all their ways. The closer the two ships came to Falme, the more Seanchan ships he sees. Domon sees the watch towers on the shore. The Watchers over the Waves they are called. A cage hangs over the watchtowers with a man sitting inside. Domon asks about it, and Caban says he is the First Watcher, not the original since a new one is chosen each time the old one dies. When he asks why he is in the cage again, she says, "He watched for the wrong thing, and forgot when he should have been remembering." Egeanin and her soldiers along with the damane search Domon's ship once the crew was on the dock. Then, Domon sees a three-eyed monstrous-looking thing on the dock being led by someone in one of those strange helmets. When Egeanin and her soldiers come onto the dock from searching his ship, she has something in her hands. She leads Domon through the town with her soldiers. The people of Falme are so afraid of the Seanchan and their strange creatures Domon can see as he is led through. Egeanin takes him to see High Lord Turak who dismisses her. Turak has the seal that Domon had in his ship. Domon says he doesn't know what it is. Domon follows Turak into another room where he has a cabinet with another seal, among other things. He says only the Empress has a bigger collection of Cuendillar. Domon is a collector of old things, so the Lord wants to talk to him. Someone brings Turak a cup with black liquid, kaf. He wants to know how he came about the seal, and Domon decides to lie all about it until the Lord is satisfied. Characters * Geofram Bornhald * Byar * Muadh * Jeral * Egeanin Tamarath * Caban * Bayle Domon * Yarin Maeldan * Turak * Serrisa as the damane Referenced * Earwin * Wuan * Artur Hawkwing * Carridin * Mattin Stepaneos den Balgar as King of Illian * Jaichim Carridin Groups * Questioners * Children of the Light * Seanchan * Sea Folk * Darkfriends * Aiel * Council of Nine Places * Almoth Plain * Aryth Ocean Referenced * Tarabon * Toman Head * Amador * Falme * Tanchico * Illian * Spine of the World * Tear Items * Spray